Viridian’s High Potency Digestive Aid, available from health stores, costs e21.75 for 90 capsules and contain digestive enzymes as well as Betaine HCl. Do not take these if you also suffer from stomach ulcers. A burning sensation, often linked with high levels of stomach acid, actually indicates low levels of HCl. Sufficient levels of HCl work to protect the chewed food from putrefying and creating gas, with one of the key signs of low HCl being an inability to effectively digest proteins and empty the stomach as quickly and completely as it should.

It would be interesting to see its effects on other pH-dependent drugs, such as the HIV drug ataznavir or certain antibiotics (16, 17). A comparison of dasatinib absorption taken alone, after pretreatment with rabepazole, and using betaine HCl after pretreatment with rebepazole. Higher concentration indicates better drug absorption. Dasatinib absorption for Treatment B was 92% lower than it was for Treatment A. But betaine HCl supplementation resulted in a 15-fold increase in drug absorption compared to Treatment B. For Treatment C, volunteers took 20 mg of rabepazole twice per day until gastric pH was greater than 4.0.

You can try apple cider vinegar to help with digestion, too. 1) This is an average, so many people need to take more Betaine HCl and many people need to take less. You have to figure the custom dosage that works for you (more instructions on that here).

Still, I get bouts of acid reflux and even was on Omeprezole for 8 weeks from DEC 2015 to FEB 2016. Hi Hannah – we don’t advise against using betaine HCL if you have h. pylori, but it sounds like you might need more support than just that. Hey Michael – we think you’re right to be looking at potential root causes for your low stomach acid like candida. Hi Solis – thanks for reaching out!

For example, if you felt the discomfort going from 5 pills to 6 pills, then 5 pills is your proper dosage for a normal meal. Start by taking 1 pill (650mg or less) of Betaine HCL during the beginning of the meal. The information presented by Healthnotes is for informational purposes only.

The Problems with Antacids

My doctor prescribed a PPI to me for several months, which seemed to help at first. But when I stopped taking the PPI my symptoms came back and were much worse. I’m back on the PPI now for a few weeks, but I am planning to ease off of it and try taking HCl supplements soon. I’ve been having stomach issues since I was 16.

Then, they received a 1500 mg dose of betaine HCl, followed 5 minutes later by a 100 mg dose of dasatinib. Additionally, these conditions can also exist with normal stomach acid levels (11). HIV, gastric bypass surgery, and certain autoimmune conditions have also been shown to lower stomach acid (5, 6, 7, 8). Hypochlorhydria refers to when the stomach is not as acidic as it should be.

You can also take steps to rebalance your stomach acid. Some practitioners suggest drinking diluted lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to increase stomach acidity, or you could try taking a digestive enzyme that contains betaine hydrochloric acid (betaine HCI). Stress is particularly tough on our digestion.

You could end up with way too much stomach acid, and you’ll end up with disaster pants and in a lot of pain. Start your experimentation slowly. It’s counterintuitive, but you might need to increase your stomach acid. Deglycrrhizinated Licorice (DGL). DGL increases the secretion of the protective mucus that coats our upper and lower GI tract.

Betaine HCl: The Magic Pill?

Yesterday I started a probiotic with 30 billion CFU’s and 15 different strains. I’m also experimenting with DGL, enzymes, and activated charcoal for my intestinal gas. At first the HCL helped relieve the gas and bloating, but then the benefits decreased a bit lately. My bowels improved significantly which I attribute to the HCL. My A-Fib got way better for awhile; 10 weeks without it, but the month of August it was back with a vengeance.